Cycling in Australia

[citation needed] The government has encouraged more people to start, with several state advertising campaigns aimed at increasing safety for those who choose to ride.

[5] The bicycle and swag travelled much of Australia on dusty dirt tracks, long before the automobile made its appearance.

[6] The first Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic, a long-distance event, was held in October 1895, eight years before the first Tour de France.

Between 1990 and 1992 Australia become the first country to make wearing helmets compulsory, after a number of studies indicated that they reduced head injuries.

[13] Cyclists across Australia must follow the same rules as motor vehicle drivers in regards to using mobile phones and consuming alcohol.

[dubious – discuss] More bike users also has an economic benefit which is estimated in Australia to be $1.43 per kilometre for every person cycled.

Australians place strongly in cycling at the Olympic Games, UCI World Championships and other international events.

The Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) then catalogues this data in the Australian Road Deaths Database (ARDD).

"[30] BikeWest president John Symons commented that it was disappointing lessons had not been learned from the "shockingly similar" fatality of Arzu Karakoc who was killed in 2017 by a truck turning left across her path.

[29][31] The Amy Gillet Foundation, a cycling advocacy and safety group, called for safer road infrastructure so that mistakes by drivers do no cause a pedestrian or cyclist to be killed.

The Australian Bicycling Achievement Awards, an initiative of the Cycling Promotion Fund, have been held annually since 2002.